Spaces in Time
by Sanguine Ageha
Summary: Perhaps he wanted to show her that he was no longer the immature sixteen year old he once was. [Written for the FebMarch '07 HC Flashfic Round.]


**Disclaimer: **Ouran Koukou Hosutobu belongs to Hatori Bisco. This fic belongs to me. That's all there is to it.

**Warnings: **Unintended vagueness at some parts and rusty writing skills where Ouran is concerned. Proceed with caution.

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**Spaces in Time**

by Sanguine Ageha

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**one. Presence.**

To Hikaru, Haruhi was just like the air. She was beside them but she would be so out of reach. She could be with them almost everywhere but she would remain uncaught, untouchable. And that's what he loved and hated about her at the same time. It made him strive harder although he had an inkling that his efforts would be for naught as the girl was much too oblivious sometimes.

But it was really amazing on how she could soothe people's bad moods without even saying a word. Like what had happened to him one autumn day during their junior years. He couldn't really remember his reason for being so angry then; knowing himself all too well, he knew it was over something ridiculous that could've been resolved easily had he not yielded to his short temper.

He marched out on his own, ignoring Kaoru's calls for him to come back. He didn't have any particular destination in mind, he just wanted to get away and cool his head on his own.

Surprisingly, his feet brought him to an empty corridor in the second floor. Hikaru was a little surprised ending up in a most unlikely place but surmised that this was better than to be in a room where there were people who would most likely just add fuel to the fire. So, he sorted to leaning his back against the cool, sturdy wall and shoved his hands inside his pants pockets, reveling in the silence of the area.

He had had only stood there for no less than ten minutes when he heard the sound of footsteps approach him. Armed with a nasty retort, he whipped his head to the direction of the newcomer—and was thankful that he didn't say anything.

Haruhi stood before him albeit a few inches away. Her brown eyes looked directly at his amber ones. Her gaze was not one of blankness, not one that questioned, and not even one that reprimanded. She was just looking at him, looking so intensely that Hikaru suddenly felt conscious and broke the contact by looking away.

She took her place beside him and stood there without saying anything.

And slowly, slowly, he felt his anger ebb away.

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**two. Hands.**

"Look outside, the sky is getting dark."

"Is it?"

Ouran seniors Hitachiin Hikaru and Fujioka Haruhi were walking up the stairs when the former noticed the sudden change of weather. When the latter bothered to take a look outside the window, she saw the blue sky slowly being obscured by the dark clouds.

"I sincerely hope it's not a thunderstorm." Haruhi mumbled under her breath.

Hikaru somewhat sensed the tension from the young girl beside him. He learned two years ago in Karuizawa that Haruhi was terribly frightened of thunder, but only found out about it after being such an idiot (and a jealous one at that). Since then he tried to be more aware about things related to her by trying to be observant and open-minded like his twin, Kaoru.

Perhaps it was out of impulse. Perhaps he wanted to show her that he was no longer the immature sixteen-year old he once was. Or perhaps it was because she was _Haruhi_ (the girl he likes) that urged him to outstretch his arm and offer his hand to her.

Haruhi blinked at his hand, not really sure what that was about. "Why are you giving me your hand?"

"The distance between our location and our classroom isn't far, but anything could happen along the way. And yes, that includes thunder roaring all of a sudden." Hikaru simply replied. He would've elaborated further but he knew Haruhi was sharp. Although she might be clueless sometimes, that wasn't so when it came to her strengths and weaknesses.

Their hands met after a moment's stillness. His hold was light as if to mirror his shyness on doing such a bold act, yet there was an unspoken assurance from the warmth of his hand that he was there for her and he would not let go. He could almost bet that his cheeks were an interesting shade of red though.

Along the way, Haruhi wondered if she had been inadvertently missing Hikaru's extreme gentleness for three years.

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**three. Muse.**

Haruhi paused from her book reading and stared into nothingness for the first few minutes. Her eyes carried wistfulness in them, causing for her to sigh softly. It was slightly disturbing for her to have her mind strangely plagued by a certain someone who was so self-centered and childish. Sometimes she would even think that he was nothing like his twin brother, for he was composed and rational even if he was by himself.

He acted so much like a spoiled child that it was really annoying at times. She wondered how, in the future, would his significant other stand him. Would she find his personality possessive and twisted, or would she find him adorable and enticing?

Her eyebrows furrowed, taking a sudden dislike for the direction of her thoughts. It was rude to think about someone like that. No matter how self-absorbed, how devilish, how surprisingly tender, how strangely attractive…

Haruhi suddenly sat up, the book landing on the floor, absolutely appalled at what she was thinking.

She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind as another sigh escaped her. Why was she like this all of a sudden?

To her father and to everyone who knew her well, she appeared to have no desires, academics and her goals in life as her top priorities. Partially true it may be, but she was also a girl—_still_ a girl. A girl with (unvoiced) desires, a girl who was capable of liking someone (like any other). She may not be the kind of girl who was showy of her affections but she _did_ like someone in her own, unique way.

Ironically, that someone was the one she could not shun away from her mind.

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**four. Hush.**

When the clock struck 10 P.M., the Hitachiin twins went to bed.

When the clock struck 3 A.M., Hikaru was still wide awake while Kaoru was already fast asleep.

Something gnawed at his brain, refusing to make him close his eyes and drift off to Dream Land. So, he decided to confront the irritating thought if that was the only way to get rid of it.

Many a time he had thought about the idea of confessing to Haruhi, but he knew that doing so would complicate things. _Lots of things. _Uttering the cursed words meant to inevitably hurt people that also harbored the same kind of feelings towards the girl. Of course, he was not going to be spared from that because if she turned him down he would take the strongest blow amongst them.

There were times he terribly itched on letting her know the truth. Even if being in the same class and in the same club were blessings enough already, there was still _that_ feeling of not wanting to stay as merely friends. He wanted her to see him and _only_ him as something more—as a man, if possible—and have her mind occupied with thoughts of nothing but him.

Hikaru wanted to capture her and keep her to himself, like how one would with a pretty butterfly. But to deny her freedom would only cause her grief. It was like an indirect way of ripping her wings to prevent her from leaving him.

_Selfish desires. Purely selfish desires._

He was selfish but he also knew right from wrong. He would not stoop so low to do such a thing.

The redhead felt himself becoming drowsy. Through heavy lids and a hazy mind he remembered that tomorrow was going to be their high school graduation. If he decided not to do and say anything afterwards, then he would have to wait for a next time. _If_ there was going to be such a time.

"_But someday, I will let you know how I feel."_

_Someday…_

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**five. Happenstance.**

It was just one of those days where everything seemed to be going wrong.

Twenty-one-year old Haruhi rushed through the busy sidewalks and even busier streets of Tokyo, trying her best not to bump into people and trip anywhere and at her own feet at the same time. The crowds were unusually thick right now and it wasn't even the midday rush hour. And of all available days of the week, it just _had_ to be today. _Today._ The day when she had two case studies and three term papers due for submission. Once she passed them, summer break would officially start for her.

She hastily made her way through the multitude of people, saying a polite "excuse me" every now and then and making her way through the open, narrow spaces every chance she got. Once she reached the end of the sidewalk, it was just her luck to have the "don't walk" sign light up in all of its red glory.

She looked at her watch; she barely had fifteen minutes left to get to the campus. _Never_ in her three years of being in university did she have to rush this badly.

People were beginning to pile up in the same space she was in, waiting for the shift of color just like her. The brunette averted her eyes towards the sign once more. It was still red. Why was it taking too long to turn green anyway?

Haruhi looked at her watch again; the third hand moved five times. The person on her right was busy talking to someone. The third hand moved five times again. Said person was beginning to get angry. The third hand moved another five times. Same individual suddenly toned down his voice, although it sounded dangerously silky, as if he was ready to threaten the person at the other end of the line.

The sign finally turned green. At last! Haruhi was about to take the first step forward when—

"You will never regret doing business with a Hitachiin, _monsieur_."

—she stopped. All feelings of panic and rushing disappeared in the blink of an eye.

She dared to turn her head to the direction of the voice. Her brown eyes widened in disbelief, wanting badly to speak but was rendered speechless by who she saw. Then and there she regretted a little of not paying closer attention from the start, when she had heard that oh-so-familiar voice that never reached her ears after she entered university.

"…_Hikaru?_"

The man turned to whoever mentioned his name, ready to lash out as he felt his last string of patience snap in two. He completely forgot about the fact that he was talking to someone on the phone, given the great state of shock he was currently in because of who he saw.

"Haruhi…"

The people beside them and around them hurriedly crossed the street for as long as the "walk" sign blared green. And for the two individuals that were left behind, their goal of getting to their destinations now became insignificant.

Where else should they be when they were already there?

**Owari**

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Um, wow. OO It's been half a year since I last wrote anything Ouran-related so I may have overstepped some boundaries. I tried my very best to keep everyone in character as stated in the request but I may have failed greatly on that one. sweatdrops

Much can be questioned about the fic and I also tried to make the ending open-ended. But it may be a little off as it was too long and I had to end it somewhere. Otherwise, it would just go on and on and on… ;

Anyway, comments and concrit would be greatly appreciated. :D (And don't give me flames, I know I sucked already.)


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